2. In sampling the peat bed, you must be careful to avoid any young plant roots or old limestone. Why?

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals
Section: Chapter Questions
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Percent of Parent Isotopes Remaining
C The radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) is continuously replenished in organisms while they are alive. When an organism
dies, it is no longer able to take in new C-14, and so the amount of C-14 decreases as it decays to its stable daughter
product: nitrogen-14 (N-14).
100
84.1
70.7
50.0
25.0
12.5
6.2
3.1
0
0
1. The carbon in a buried peat bed has about 6% of the C-14 of modern shells. When the plants that now form the buried
peat were alive, they absorbed C-14 and probably had about the same amount of C-14 as modern shells, so about 94% of
the peat's original C-14 has decayed. What is a reasonable initial estimate of the age of the peat bed? Explain.
2. In sampling the peat bed, you must be careful to avoid any young plant roots or old limestone. Why?
Newly formed
crystal
14 ½/2
15.9%
decayed to
daughter
29.3%
decayed
1
50%
decayed
Parent
Daughter
Isotope
Isotope
Uranium-238 Lead-206
Uranium-235 Lead-207
Potassium-40 Argon-40
Carbon-14
SOME ISOTOPES USED FOR RADIOMETRIC DATING
Half Life
Typical Materials
Dated
2
Nitrogen-14
parent isotope
daughter isotope
75% decayed
4.468 x 10 yr
7.038 x 10 yr
1.248 x 10 yr
5.730 x 10 yr
87.5%
decayed
3
Half-Lives Elapsed
Usually zircon
Usually zircon
Biotite, muscovite,
whole volcanic rock
Shells, limestone,
organic materials
5730y
93.8%
decayed
Useful Dating Range
Older than-10 Myr
Older than-10 Myr
Older than
-100,000 yr
Usually up to
-50,000 yr
96.9%
decayed
C
Half-Life of
Radioactive
Isotope (₂)
Find the half-
life for the
appropriate
radioactive
isotope in
Table B
above
Education Inc
Half-Lives Elapsed (n)
As a Ratio
0
1/64
1/32
1/16
1/8
1/4
1/2
1
1¹/
2
3
4
5
As a Decimal
number
0.000
0.016
0.031
0.062
0.125
0.250
0.500
1.000
1.500
2.000
3.000
4.000
5.000
Percent of
Radioactive Parent
Isotope (P)
P₁=()
100.0
98.9
97.9
95.8
91.7
84.1
70.7
50.0
35.4
25.0
12.5
6.2
3.1
Percent of
Stable Daughter
Isotope (D)
D₁-(1-4)
0.0
1.1
2.1
4.2
8.3
15.9
29.3
50.0
64.6
75.0
87.5
93.8
96.9
Age of
Specimen
(1)
t=nxt₁₂
0.000 x fa
0.016 x
0.031 x f
0.062 x fa
0.125 x fa
0.250 x f
0.500 x
1.000 x f
1.500 x fa
2.000 x fa
3.000 x fa
4.000 x fa
5.000 x fu
Transcribed Image Text:Percent of Parent Isotopes Remaining C The radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) is continuously replenished in organisms while they are alive. When an organism dies, it is no longer able to take in new C-14, and so the amount of C-14 decreases as it decays to its stable daughter product: nitrogen-14 (N-14). 100 84.1 70.7 50.0 25.0 12.5 6.2 3.1 0 0 1. The carbon in a buried peat bed has about 6% of the C-14 of modern shells. When the plants that now form the buried peat were alive, they absorbed C-14 and probably had about the same amount of C-14 as modern shells, so about 94% of the peat's original C-14 has decayed. What is a reasonable initial estimate of the age of the peat bed? Explain. 2. In sampling the peat bed, you must be careful to avoid any young plant roots or old limestone. Why? Newly formed crystal 14 ½/2 15.9% decayed to daughter 29.3% decayed 1 50% decayed Parent Daughter Isotope Isotope Uranium-238 Lead-206 Uranium-235 Lead-207 Potassium-40 Argon-40 Carbon-14 SOME ISOTOPES USED FOR RADIOMETRIC DATING Half Life Typical Materials Dated 2 Nitrogen-14 parent isotope daughter isotope 75% decayed 4.468 x 10 yr 7.038 x 10 yr 1.248 x 10 yr 5.730 x 10 yr 87.5% decayed 3 Half-Lives Elapsed Usually zircon Usually zircon Biotite, muscovite, whole volcanic rock Shells, limestone, organic materials 5730y 93.8% decayed Useful Dating Range Older than-10 Myr Older than-10 Myr Older than -100,000 yr Usually up to -50,000 yr 96.9% decayed C Half-Life of Radioactive Isotope (₂) Find the half- life for the appropriate radioactive isotope in Table B above Education Inc Half-Lives Elapsed (n) As a Ratio 0 1/64 1/32 1/16 1/8 1/4 1/2 1 1¹/ 2 3 4 5 As a Decimal number 0.000 0.016 0.031 0.062 0.125 0.250 0.500 1.000 1.500 2.000 3.000 4.000 5.000 Percent of Radioactive Parent Isotope (P) P₁=() 100.0 98.9 97.9 95.8 91.7 84.1 70.7 50.0 35.4 25.0 12.5 6.2 3.1 Percent of Stable Daughter Isotope (D) D₁-(1-4) 0.0 1.1 2.1 4.2 8.3 15.9 29.3 50.0 64.6 75.0 87.5 93.8 96.9 Age of Specimen (1) t=nxt₁₂ 0.000 x fa 0.016 x 0.031 x f 0.062 x fa 0.125 x fa 0.250 x f 0.500 x 1.000 x f 1.500 x fa 2.000 x fa 3.000 x fa 4.000 x fa 5.000 x fu
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